


I Crave A Love So Deep Even The Ocean Would Be Jealous

by Raimaj



Category: The Originals (TV), The Originals (TV) RPF, The Vampire Diaries & Related Fandoms, The Vampire Diaries (TV), The Vampire Diaries - L. J. Smith
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-28
Updated: 2018-05-20
Packaged: 2019-04-14 04:56:18
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 12,846
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14128548
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Raimaj/pseuds/Raimaj
Summary: There was no explanation for it all. Only that their is somethings that can not be explained.





	1. Chapter 1

Perhaps had the house not been left to decay for so long it would have been rather beautiful, somewhere she could have seen herself living. But the white painting was peeling from the walls now and the floorboards had been lifted in places, leaving large unsightly holes in the floor. Not to mention that the staircase was nearly unusable and all the doors seemed to hang from their hinges. Well all of that and the dead man staked to the wall was not the type of home decor she prefered. No this was no place for a person to live anymore.  
but maybe when she had a few years to dedicate to a project like this she would come back and fix it up. It really did have the bones of a beautiful home. She couldn’t remember the last time she had a real home.  
Letting herself get lost in her thoughts she wondered around the what would have been the entry way, her freshly painted french tip nails skimming slowly across the walls. Stopping to pull strips of paint from the wall when a piece was especially loose. Eventually she made her way to stand beside the man dead against the wall again.  
He too could be beautiful she thought. Had his skin not been so gray and well, corpse like. His body was strong, shoulders broad and defined. His hair was well kept, and his jaw was strong. She wondered what color his eyes were. Certainly not blue. His features were far too harsh for such a soft color she decided after a moment of thought. Left to only her guesses she moved away from him far too tempted to reach out and physically open one of his eyes to find the answer to her question.  
She sat herself down on one of the steps of the stairs letting her legs stretch out in front of her while her back leaned into one of the steps behind her and she crossed her arms over her chest. How long did it take for an original vampire to come back from the dead? Would she be here all night? That sounded exhausting. Maybe one of the rooms in this house had a bed in it? It had to at least have a couch in it she thought. But would she really risk sleeping in on any surface in this rat filled house? That was a firm no.  
“Can I ask exactly what it is you think you’re doing here?” His voice was perfect she thought, deep and cold. Fitting to the man who it belonged to. The large wooden stake dropped loudly to the floor bouncing back up a few times before landing silently at his feet. He peeled himself for the wall as his back, a sort of sticky sound filling the room his bloody leaving a stain on the wall behind him. What she was sure had been bright red blood was now more brown having changed color over time. How long had he been stuck there before she had found him? His fingers coming up to trace the now blood covered hole in his white button up shirt he sighed in frustration before lifting his head from the torn fabric and looking at her.  
“Considering buying some land," She shrugged looking over her should and away from him, "you know they say the real estate market is doing really well right now. But then again that could be a lie, I feel like they’re always saying that.” A small laugh leaving her as she moved to look up at him from her place on the stairs then back down to her own lap. Feeling unusually small in his presence.  
“Are you..? Are you making a joke?” He asked, brows furrowed and eyes squinting at her as he fixed the cuffs of his suit jacket, an odd choice she thought, considering the giant hole she was sure now existed in the back panel. Perhaps it was a force of habit. Did he make a habit of over dressing?  
“Indeed I am.” She laughed amused with herself, as she pulled herself up from the steps flattening out the panels of her navy blue skirt as she moved. Finding that even in her high heeled boots she was still pitifully short compared to his looming presence. She was sure he was only about a foot taller than her, but there was something about the way he held himself that made him seem taller. “Good catch.” She points a finger at him waving it just the slightest between them in a way that says she hadn't expected him to understand her joking tone.  
“To what do I owe the company of such a.” He pauses here looking down at her from the side of his eye, before he moved to step behind her his dress shoes sliding over the touch wood. “Funny girl. So soon after such a frustrating accounter?” He asks as he trails the room exactly as she had done before he had awoken. His eyes only ever momentarily landed on her as he walked; while she watched him tentatively feeling sort of captured by the grace in his movements until he again fell out of her line of sight and was once again standing behind her. This time unmoving just a shadow over her shoulder.  
“Because I have a very strong feeling regardless of how frustrated you may be you harm me, Elijah.” She can't help but smile in the silence that falls between them then a full blown toothy smile that went unnoticed by him as she could not see her face. She could feel his eyes on her just staring at her form will she stood perfectly still letting him. While is presence was intimidating there was something about they way his eyes felt on her that made a tingle run down her smile. He excited her. Perhaps it was because of how easily it would be for him to kill her.  
“I’m afraid I’m at a bit of a disadvantage you know my name, but I can’t say know yours.” He says after a moment still at her back. But much closer now, as if he is only a few inches from touching her, his voice rings loud in her ears.  
“Don’t play dumb Elijah.” She sighed crossing her arms tight over her chest her white long sleeve crop top pulling up just the slightest revealing a new piece of skin to his eyes. “It doesn’t suit you.” He lets out a sigh that sounded almost like a laugh in her ears. Quickly he makes another circle into her line of sight this time even closer than she thought him to be. Only inches apart, his breath ghosting over her face, filling her senses with the smell of his cologne and the blood from his clothes. It’s a captivating smell, so strikingly different from her own vanilla perfume she’s been wearing for years now. She hadn't thought someone so fresh from death could still manage to smell so good. His eyes were a deep brown, nearly black staring down at her. It seemed fitting and yet rather eery at the same time.  
“You’ve caught me.” He muses, stepping back and raising his hands out just the slightest in a shrugging gesture a. His lips pulled in a smirk that looked unfairly good on him. “So tell me Annaliese what brings you to me?”  
“It’s just Anna now.” She explained contimplating the last time she had heard someone speak her whole name to her, it had to have been at least a century now. She found her name had not aged well over the years. But there was something about the way Elijah said it, pronounced exactly as it was meant to be that warmed her just the slightest. It sounded so right falling from his lips that a part of her wanted to ask him to as it again. “A little birdy told me that your brother Niklaus has a deep desire to keep me alive. I figured I was safest in your company than anyone else's.”  
“And how is what my brother wants going to keep me from snapping your neck?” His voice drops just the slightest as he watched her moving down just the slightest bit to better hold eye contact. His hand wrapping itself around the side of her neck his skin cold against her own. She can't help but stand stiff at the contact, not because he is clearly threatening her. But rather because she simply hadn't expected him to touch her. Feeling the dull and unaffected beat of her heart under her pale skin Elijah is almost taken back. “You’re not afraid of me?” He asked raising a brow his head cocking slightly to the left in question.  
“I’m banking on your family loyalties to keep me alive.” She smiled sucking her lower lip between her teeth and lifting her chin to look him the eyes in a way that didn't require him to lower himself to her height. Still her heart beat stayed the same. He really didn’t scare her. She could have sworn she saw his mouth twitch just the slightest as she watched him. His eyes intent on the lip between her teeth before flicking back to her face.  
“You're smart."  
“I know.” Too quickly he removed himself from her space allowing her room to breath and move free from him. Room that she couldn't say she wanted. Not when he smelt so nice infant of her.  
“So tell me Anna what brings you to me now?” He asked raising a brow.  
“I wish I knew. It would seem after four hundred years myself preservational instincts have failed me, just this once. My curiosity got the best of me.” She smiled moving closer to the man in front of her, until they were nearly chest to chest. As if she was physically pulled to him the empty room echoing due to the sound of her boots on the wood.“I just had to know what you looked like” She whispered falling silent as he looked back at her letting the statement hang in the arm for just a moment. “Your brother has been hunting me for years, I’ve grown overly interested in those who surround him.”  
“You know what they say Anna, curiosity killed the cat.”  
“Mmm.. but satisfaction brought it back.” She decides she loved the way he smiles down at her. His white teeth showing and his eyes crinkling just the slightest. Clearly he hadn't expected such an honest answer from her. Most women in this day and age tended to be shy or overly bold towards him. But she was honest in a way he appreciated. Not to mention it was rare that people actually new and understood the other half of that saying.  
“I suppose you’re right.” Her smile falls as she lets out a soft sigh moving a hand to press into his chest grabbing a piece of his suit jacket and trying to lay it flat, as if she’d forgotten that the jacket was ruined and it didn’t really matter how it looked. He would likely throw it out in a few short hours.  
“I’ll be staying in Mystic Falls for the time being, it would seem my services are desperately needed here.” Anna said looking back up at Elijah for just a moment before her eyes fell back to trying to fix the piece of his jacket that wouldn’t stay down. Feeling suddenly nervous before him. “You can call off your brothers witch hunt, wherever he finds the doppelganger he’ll find his oracle. I’m done running from him.” Her voice is sure and strong as if she'd been giving this some thought before she came to stand here infant of him. Her thick unplaceable accent not lost on him, but it made her confident tone even more appealing to his eats. Just like that she moved away from him again and let herself out of the house and down the steps. He wants to reach out to her, to make her stay beside him, to talk to him longer. To better explain what she meant, better yet, to explain why she has chosen to stop running. But he does not move, rather he lets her leave him standing alone in the desiccating home.


	2. Chapter 2

“What can I do for you miss?” The Bartenders voice is sweet and warm, the kind that she found most Bartenders were. His hands busy towel drying a glass but he still moved closer to the counter trying to show her she had his attention and that she could feel free to order. His smile took almost too much space on his face she thought it nearly reached his ears. She couldn't help but feeling just a bit uncomfortable under his intent stare. He was too friendly.  
“I’m actually hoping you might be able to help me, handsome.” She smiles up at him, placing herself on one of the bar stools. Crossing her legs, she let her black skater skirt slide up her leg just the slightest. Exposing the upper part of her thighs to the man who shamelessly looks down over the bar. Her smile only grows when she feels his eyes trailing over the now exposed skin of her legs. Looking away for a moment to act as if she can't feel his stare on her. How easy it was to trap some men she thought. Anna leans herself closer to the bar, placing her elbow against the wooden edge and her chin in her hand. Her attention and the flutter of her dark lashes seem to rope him in completely, his body is completely pressed into the other side of the bar and his head is bent down towards her. His stare as if he has no clue she isn’t the only person in the room with him.  
“Whatever you need.” He breaths out his pupils dilating before her eyes.  
“I’m looking for someone. Well someone's really. A set of brothers?”  
“You gotta be a little more specific for me miss there's a lot of families settled down in Mystic Falls.” His voice comes out in a whisper as he leans closer to her, his breath falling in harsh pants like he's been running and isn’t just standing in front of her. The smell of beer and cigarettes thick on his breath.  
“The Salvatore brothers. Have you heard of them?” She whispers back smiling all the prouder of herself. When was the last time one of her charming spells ever worked so well? The poor human hadn’t even attempted to resist her. Though she doubted he knew the difference between attraction caused by magic and raw intent. Human emotions were so painfully muted.  
“Right over there miss.” He pulls back from her, standing up straight and full on pointing to the other side of the room as if the action isn't at all rude of off putting. She spins in her chair doing her best to follow the trail of his fingers through the crowds of people around her. But sure enough, there on the other side of the room facing towards her are both of the brothers she was looking for; they look exactly the same as how she left them last, though better dressed. Damon clearing trying to covertly charming with that stupid grin of his painted on his face and Stefan looked annoyed pouting as usual, but both are talking animatedly to whatever girl is facing away from her. When would they ever learn she laughs.  
As if feeling her intent stare on him Damon's eyes flick up for just a moment before his head shoots up completely. Theres a stillness in the air between. She can't stop smiling and he looks like he's seen a ghost appear right before his eyes. But it only lasts so long till his whole body is suddenly gutting from the chair he was sitting in, letting it scrape loudly against the floor as it's pushed back. She can’t help the large goofy smile that comes across her face at seeing his shock to see her again. Damon always was much more expressive than his brother, wearing his heart all over his face. Stefen looks over at his brother confused as to why his brother seems to be acting like a crazy person before following his line of sight. His eyes suddenly going wide when his eyes find hers.  
“Anna!” Damon finally manages to gasp nearly yelling across the packed bar and restaurant before he starts to move towards her. His heavy leather boots squeaking against the floor at the speed of his movements. She can tell he’s trying not to vamp out to get to her faster as his feet begin to blur just the slightest as he moves around table and people in his way. His eyes don't ever leave hers, as if he's afraid if he looks away she won't be there any more.  
She pushed herself out of her seat her heels clicking loudly despite her soft landing and nearly jumps into his arms. Despite how hard she try to keep composed she already feels the lump beginning to form in her throat at begin back in her friends arms again. Hell they were family, being friends had been left behind years ago. God how long has it been since she saw a friendly face? “I missed you so much.” She whispers taking in the smell of him and the solid feel of his body wrapped around her.  
“Me too.” He’s crying too. His voice is soft and gasping. His arms grabbing hold of her all the tighter, as if he’s afraid she’s just his imagination. “Where have you been?” He mumbles into her hair his lips pressed against the top of her head.  
“You know I’ve been around. Keeping an eye on you two goofs.” She smiles loving the warm feeling of him and the air of the bar. When's the last time she felt truly warm? When was she had forgotten what it felt like to not be running from something?  
“Anna.” Stefan calls out beside them, it's clear he doesn't want to ruin the moment but he can't stand to not touch her too, she can only reach for him unwilling to untangle herself from Damon for even a moment. She pulls him towards them wrapping her arm around his middle. Loving that he does not fight her but rather wraps his arms around her and his brother. “Shit it’s really you.”  
She had her family back.  
“Damon, Stefan what's going on?” A female voice breaks in after a moment of the intimate exchange. Clearly sounding confused and uncomfortable at the display of affection towards the girl that she does not know. Like shes being left out of something really important but doesn't really know how to ask all the questions she has.  
Anna looks up from her place against Damons chest catching the eyes of the girl looking at them and her body suddenly stiffens. Feeling the change of her demeanor the boys begin to pull away trying to find what had upset her and they’re caught off guard to see Elena looking back at them. They’d nearly forgotten that she was there at all.  
Pushing the boys away from her as quickly as she brought them to her Anna separates herself from them. She takes a moment flattening out her hair and the collar of her button up shirt. Before her eyes come again to look at Elena. She can’t hide her anger and she wants to start yelling but the girls only looking at her wide eyed and stupid.  
“What the fuck is she doing here.” She spits turning toward the two boys now placed behind her. Trying to find any target to take out what she’s feeling on. “I thought we were done with this? I thought you promised you wouldn’t go looking for her!?” Her attention focuses in on Damon. Her finger raising to press into his chest, her voice accusing. “You promised me you were done with this!”  
“No, Anna, that’s not, that’s not Katherine.” Stefan begins to defend in his brothers silence. Afraid that if her anger turns to Elena, Anna may actually truly hurt her unaware that the girl really is only human. “Her names Elena she’s human she’s not like Katherine.”  
“Not like Katherine, Stefan look at her!” Annas voice as harsh and Stefan can't help but to flinch away at it. Damon and Anna fought sometimes sure. They were both two alpha personalities and when you stuck them in a house together for too long they blew up from time to to time. Stefan was used to that. But never in the years they had all been together did she ever point that anger and frustration at him. He didn't like it.  
“My names Elena.” The girl says suddenly catching the fuming girls attention and pulling it away from the boys. Anna looks like she wants to rip there heads off and Elenas afraid she might actually do it if she doesn't start explain better. “Katherine and I look alike but I’m not her I promise.” Annas brows knit together moving slowly to stand in front of her. Turning her head slightly to the side she stares the girl over. Taking in her well worn converse sneakers, tight blue jeans, and cardigan sweater. Anna can’t help put think Katherine would rather be caught dead then be dressed in such a way. The girl has her hair pin straight and left flowing around her shoulders. She looks soft Anna suddenly thinks and she knows for sure that it’s nothing she has ever thought of Katherine in all the years she knew her.  
“The doppelganger.” She finally determines.  
“Yeah.” The girl, Elena nods.  
"I should have known where ever my boys were the doppelgänger wasn't far behind."


	3. Chapter 3

Being back in the Salvatore house felt like she was coming home. Even though so many years had passed since she had last been here it was if nothing had changed. It had been a few weeks of the three finally living under the same roof again before questions came to surface. The boys had been desperate to find a way to get Anna to entertain the idea that maybe Elena wasn’t all bad. Trying to force the two together every chance they got, even when it was with things as mundane as picking out new flowers to be planted in the front of the boarding house.  
“Damon this is ridiculous. You two are acting like I hate the girl!” Anna huffed following Damon down the stairs and into the living room of the boarding house.  
“It’s not as you’re the fondest of her.” Damon defended not bothering to look back at her as he continued his walk through the house, listening to the click of heels as she followed behind him.  
“Do I have to be? It’s not as if I’m the one dating her.” The tone in her voice is a slight as Damon's feelings and they both know it. Damon didn't even have to tell her. They pair stomp loudly down the stairs into the basement, passing box after box that holds the Salvatore family history. Damon is aware his favorite witch knows him too well to not have picked up on Damons clear as day infatuation with the doppelgänger without him telling her. Anna always did know him better than anyone else, hell she knew him better than he knew himself most days.  
“Elenas not Katherine.” Damon defends throwing open the the blood cooler, fully aware of where this conversation is going. It isn’t the first time Anna has mentioned the similarities between Elena and Katherine. Sure Elena was a much sweeter girl, she had a kindness to her that Katherine never had, yet all of good about her did not effect just how similar the Elena/Damon/Stefan story sounded to the beginnings of the Katherine/Damon/Stefan story.  
“Right, Elena just looks just exactly like her, and seems to be leading on both of you boys. This sounds nothing like Katherine at all!” Anna yells raising her and forcing the blood bag in Damon's hand to flying across the room. Splattering blood against one of the cement walls small specks of blood flying far enough to send small dots of blood onto their shoes.  
“How I feel about her is not her fault!” Damon yells back throwing himself against Anna, pressing his forearm into her neck when her back hits a wall. “Remove your arm from my neck before I remove it from your body.” Anna demands, her voice going soft and serious. Something that actually shakes Damon enough to let go of her. He knows in an actual fight he doesn’t stand a chance, he never has. Many times in his younger years he had challenged her, demanded she show him exactly why she deserved any sort of control over what he did. He had ended up bloody and begging her to stop one to many time to know if she was challenge she would fight him. Even if she didn't want to. The pair step away from each other, adjusting their clothes while Damon picks up a new blood bag and shuts the lid of the fridge. “I get it Damon, she’s important to you both. You want me to like her too. And I do, I promise I do.”  
“You’re just worried.” Damon finishes for her leaning against the fridge.  
“Exactly.”  
“Come here.” Damon motions for her to stand in front of him which she does with nothing more than a sigh. He gentle grabs both sides of her face his large hands cold against her warm skin. His fingers playing with loose pieces of her hair, pushing it back behind her ears so he can see her better. “All I want is for you two to get along, maybe even be friends. It’s important to me that my two favorite girls like each other. I’m sure Stefan agrees.”  
“Fine.” Anna sighs letting her shoulders slump all the fight leaving her. Her small pale hand come to wrap around one of Damons wrists. “I’ll try harder ok? Even if it kills me.”  
“That's all I’m asking for.” Damon laughs at the childish role of her eyes. Placing a gentle kiss against her forehead before he lets her go.  
“And just so you know Damon I really do like her. Either of you could do much worse. In fact you both have.” Anna laughs slipping off both of her black heels before she goes running up the stairs.  
“Oh you little shit.” Damon laughs chasing after her his large boots slamming against the cement floors and then the wood stairs. The sound of him following after her only making her laugh all the harder. 

She had taken Damons words to heart looking for any chance to actually do something with Elena that the boys had no hand in. However, given that most of Elenas after school activities included doing homework and making out with Stefan little opportunities had actually come up for the two. Except one morning when Anna was awoken to the sound of Elena trying desperately to shuffle out of the house at nearly four in the morning. Her small gasps as she accidentally ran her bag into the side of an end table more than enough to wake the small witch up. Being on the run from big bad vampires had an amazing effect on her ability to sleep soundly through the night. Hastily Anna through herself out of her bed, slipping on a pair of jeans and sneakers. Deciding to use Elenas moment of distraction readjusting whatever objects got jostled by her bag to slip out of the house ahead of her.

“The boys seem desperate that we go do something together.” Anna’s voice cuts through the silence of the morning, her back pressed into the cold metal of Elena's car. Her arms crossed tight over her chest. A light pink sweatshirt keeping what little warmth she has tight against her body.  
Annas sudden words causes Elena to jump her purse falling onto the ground. Small odds and ends falling out and rolling across the pavement. Anna doesn’t move to help the girl, instead only looks down to watch as Elena leans over to pick up what she's lost. Stuffing it back into her bag as quickly as she can.  
“Uh yeah I think you’re right.” Elena mumbled tossing her bag up and over her shoulder once everything's back inside. “Maybe once I’m back we could catch a movie or something.”  
“Or maybe since you’re clearly trying to get into this car before the sun rises and either of the boys know you’re missing, you hand me the keys and start giving me directions.” Anna suggests opening one of her hands towards Elena gesturing for her to drop the keys into her hand.  
“You’re not gonna try and stop me?”  
“I don’t seem to have a reason to yet.” Taking that as the best she’s going to get in this situation Elena drops the keys into her hand and takes off towards the passenger side seat.

They drove mostly in silence for what felt like forever. Elena giving Anna directions whenever they were needed. Eventually Anna kicked up the radio deciding that if they were going to sit in this car together much longer in silence she was actually going to lose her mind. Apparently both girls had an affinity for really bad pop music because the second an old Katy Perry hit came on they both began to mumble along to the words. Eyeing the other from the corner of their eye, as if they were waiting for something. Anna couldn't help the smile that came crossed her face. Spinning the volume dial up as high as she dared the pair began to loudly belt out the words seemingly unbothered when cars passed by them staring at the display of bad dancing and singing that was mostly just the two yelling the words.  
However the fun didn't last two long, eventually the destination became clear to the witch. Anna nearly slammed on the breaks, and maybe she would have had they not been in the middle of a busy street. Her hand coming up to hit the off button on the radio catching Elena off guard, she blissful singing caught in her throat as she looked at Anna.  
"Elena why are we going to see Slater?"


	4. Chapter 4

She rounded the corning into the living room clutching onto her cell phone, scrolling through an old text conversation with Stefan trying to come up with anything that might be of use for him and Bonnie who were stuck trying to get the moonstone away from Katherine. Hoping that maybe she’d be able to come up with something before Bonnie had to watch the vampire bitch drain Elena's little brother dry again. She felt bad for the young witch, knowing she had to sit back and watch as Katherine killed Jeremy over and over again. Just to try a motivate the witch to work harder on lifting the vale around the tomb. Sure she should have been able to lift the vale over the crypt with little to know issue but Bonnie was much younger, she didn’t have the same kinds of powers. And likely she never would even come close to the same kind of power Anna contained with in herself, no matter how hard she trained. What must it be like she thought, to stand there helpless while your loved one is drained dry by a vampire with your best friend's face?   
“You called him?” Elena voice broke through her concentration. She sounded angry with her, but mostly she sounded surprised. As if she just expected Anna to let her hand herself over. Had Anna made her believe she was that indifferent to the girls life? She had trusted Anna to understand why she would give herself over to Klaus's men. She had explained herself over and over again and Anna had listened. Maybe she had taken Annas silence as acceptance. Damon's eyes never looked towards her however, but rather was stuck learing at Elena.   
“This isn’t a choice I can let you make Elena.” Anna explained with a shrug of her shoulders. She wouldn’t be made to feel bad for doing what she knew was right. Keeping Elena out of Klaus’s hands kept Anna safe too. She wasn’t going to hand herself over because Elena was on a suicide mission. Besides how could she allow Elena to sign over her life when Stefan and Damon loved her so much? She couldn’t allow any harm to come to girl if simply on principle that she would do anything she could to prevent Stefan or Damon from suffering any more than they already had in this life.  
“You said you understood.” Her voice is soft and upset.   
“She lied.” Damon deadpanned, clearly not as empathetic as Anna was to it all. “Now come on, we’re leaving.”   
“No.” Elena tries to defend.  
“I said we’re leaving.” His hand comes up to grab onto her upper arm shaking her just the slightest when she tries to pull away from him. As if he was trying to shake the stupid out of her.  
“I’m not going with you.” Anna wants to laugh at how much Elena truly sounds like she thinks she has choice. Like Damon couldn’t just toss her over his shoulder and take her out of the building.   
“You don’t get to make decisions anymore.”   
“When have I ever made a decision? You and Stefan do that for me. Now this, this is my decision.” Elena defended. She has a point, Anna thinks. The Salvatore brothers hardly gave the girl room to breath most days, let alone a chance to make a choice of herself. But Anna couldn’t blame them, Elena seemed incredibly ignorant to just how fragile she really wise.   
“Who's gonna save your life while you're out making decisions?”   
“You're not listening to me, Damon. I don't want to be saved. Not if it means that Klaus is gonna kill every single person that I love.”   
“Elena have you thought that maybe we deserve a say too?” Anna asked. Drawing the attention of the fighting pair that had been too caught in each other to comprehend the idea that the Oracle was still standing there and hadn’t just magically disappeared. “Isn’t it our choice to die for you? You’re family to Damon and Stefan, which makes you family to me. And I’d die for my family with no second thought.”   
“Anna-” Elena began.  
“No Elena. It is our choice to protect you, we are not obligated to. And you being so willing to throw yourself into Klaus’s arms to make yourself feel better about that fact is selfish.” Elena only stood there looking back at the other girl. Her eyes getting just a little bit misty at the idea of just how much she meant to the people around her. How would they all react when they found out she had willingly gone to Klaus after everything they had done to keep her safe?  
“Get your ass out the door before I throw you over my shoulder and carry you out myself.” Damon demanded body still tense and angry with the human girl.   
“Damon I-” Elena began but before she could continue the two large front doors of the apartment swung open slamming themselves against the wall behind them. Allowing three large unknown men to march themselves into the living room stopping only feet away from them.   
“We’re here to meet the doppelganger.” One of the men spoke. Letting the sentence hang in the air as they looked between the three standing in the room.   
“You- you, you’re the oracle Klaus has been looking for.” One of the men exclaimed pointing a shaking finger directly at Anna as she stood there standing between the fighting vampire and human.   
“I’m glad you have the good sense to be frightened.”  
“Thank you for coming.” Elena said seemingly indifferent the the men's reactions to Anna, stepping towards the three hooded men only for Damon to grab her by her arm and force her to step behind him instead. Acting as a human shield between her and the men.   
“I will break your arm.” Damon threatened turning his head to look at her from the corner of his.   
“There is nothing here for you.” Anna said, stepping in front of both Damon and Elena. Knowing that if this were to come down to a fight she was the strongest of the three, and it would be her job to get them out safe. For a moment she wanted to smile thinking about how similar this moment was to many she an Damon had shared in their younger years. How many times had she stepped between him and a fight he could not win?   
Suddenly there is a loud crack that grabs her attention, she knows that sound. The man standing in the back of the room in the doorway falls limp to the ground. Relieving Elijah looking stoic and unhappy, perhaps that’s how he always looked she thought. His suit jacket missing and the sleeves of his light blue button up shirt rolled up.   
“I killed you. You were dead!” Damon exclaims, taking a step back from the original vampire, taking Elena with him.   
“For centuries now.” Elijah answered his attention never leaving the other two man who were left staring at him. “Who are you?” He asked one of the two remaining men standing in front of him.   
“Who are you?”   
“I’m Elijah.” His accent coming out strong as he introduced himself, in drawn out way that sounded simply perfect to Anna. She couldn't help the small that came across her face, wondering just how many regional influences built that accent over his thousand years. It was english sure, but it was so much more complicated than that.   
“We were going to bring her to you, both of them. The oracle and the doppelganger. For Klaus.” The man declared clearly panicked by Elijah's presences and his looming figure. The mention of Anna's presence caused his eyes to snap from the man speaking to the young girl standing in front of Damon and Elena like a personal shield. Her beautiful doll like gray eyes staring straight back at him.  
Her deep brown hair was thrown up in a high ponytail that swung down her back. Short curly flyaway hairs lining her beautiful heart shaped face perfectly. For a moment he’s silent just taking her in. Clearly the last time he saw he didn’t appreciate just how beautiful she was, he thinks because the girl has nearly taken his breath away just by standing there. A pair of denim skinny jeans and white v-neck t shirt never looked so good.   
“Does anyone else know you’re here?” He asked the man. His eyes never leaving Anna's as he spoke. The sort of intense eye contact that would threatened to make her blush had it been under different circumstance.   
“No.”   
“Well then you have been incredibly helpful.” Suddenly both of Elijah's hands plunged into both mens chests giving a hard pull until he was standing there with two beating hearts in his hands and both men fell limp and dead to the floor. Opening both of his hands the hearts fall with a thump to the floor.   
“Anna.” Damon warned becoming aware just how close the girl was to the original.   
“It’s ok Damon.” She replied her back still facing him, her eyes locked with Elijah's. He took a step towards her and when she didn’t move away he took it as an invitation to cross the small distance between them until he was only a foot or so away from her. One of his blood covered hands reaching for her chin lifting it so they’re eyes remained connected as he moved as close to her as he could his chest nearly pressed to her, his thumb brushed over her cheek bone. Something warm and sticky sliding against her skin. Blood, the man's blood. But from some reason instead of disgusting her it’s a comfort to her. The gesture feels familiar and safe.   
“Are you alright?” He asked, voice coming out in a soft whisper between them.   
“I’m fine.” She answered. “Thank you Elijah.”   
“Of course Annaleise.” And like that, as soon as he was there he was gone leaving her feeling cold in his absence.  
“Excuse me!” Damon's voice boomed through the silence. “What the actual fuck was that!”


	5. Chapter 5

Damons fingers ran slowly through her hair. Anna’s head placed in his lap her eyes slowly closing with every short swipe of his hand through the curls of her hair. Every now and again he would mumble out a passage of the book he was reading, explaining just how stupid the writing was.Even though it was a book they had both read many time, a true historical favorite for them both. But despite their shared love for the book, it did not stop Damon from mocking it. Damon was after all the king of finding plot holes and flawed grammar in everything he read. It helped up course that he learned English in the 18 hundreds when grammar was significantly more important to everyone.  
“Just write your own book silly.” She mumbled through a yawn, nuzzling against the stiff fabric of his jeans.  
“Don’t think that I won’t.” Damon threatened his tone still gentle as he looked down at her. Truly they’d been in this exact moment more times throughout history than she could count, and still Damon has never written his own book. He had started a first draft once but had given up after an hour and had taken up drinking on the front lawn instead. She remembered how she had spent most of the day with him as he complained that writing was overrated while lounging on one of the porch chairs. She had taken up drinking with him when he started complaining about how over Emily Dickinson he was; deciding that it was better to nod along with his rabbelings rather than argue with him. Which had been her plan until the scotch had wiped away any controle she had over her mouth. The two had taking turns yelling at each other and throwing stones at the other as they wandered around the lawn. Both keeping a firm hold on their drinks even when a particularly hard through would threaten to throw them off their feet. Until the pair ended up curled up in a ball under a bush in the front lawn and falling asleep. Stefan had taken great joy with spraying them with the hose to wake them up. The fifties had been a weird time for them all.  
“Let me know how that goes champ.” Sliding a hand under her chip another along long drawn out yawn leaving her lips.  
Anna’s eyes snapped open the sound of shattered glass echoing in her ears, her head shoots towards the door panic raising in her body. It feels as if her heart flies into her throat at Damons tense expression his book having fallen to the ground one of his hands reaching acrossed her lap to keep her seated while the other grasps at the arm rest of the couch.  
“Damon.”  
“Just wait right here.” His steps are fast as he storms out of the room, his feet still covered in his black boots. Despite the fact that she had told him at least five times that night to get comfortable; it wasn’t like they were going any where that night. Theres a few moments of quite, just Damons whispers as he talks to someone else. Her heart begins to slow down a heavy breath fallling from her lips as she sits back down into the couch. She was sure that it must have just been Alaric of Stefan accidently nocking something over ast they entered the house and Damon was lecturing while not trying to worry her.  
“Well look who it is.“ A male voice fills the room, a deeper chuckle following shortly after.  
“Ric what did you-” she begins feeling slightly playful, she did love when Ric came over especially when he was drunk and wanted to gush over how cute Jenna was and how badly he wanted to play with her hair. But as she turned in her seat, the man staring back at her wasn’t Alaric, rather it was some dirty skinny kid in a black hoodie. “Who are you?”  
“Someone who hadn’t planned on you being here.” His voice is cold and yet at the same time playful as he moved closer to her. “I should have known better, everyone knows the oracle and the Salvators are attached at the hip. Tell me beautiful are you fucking one of them? Maybe both of them?”  
Anna stands from her seat moving deeper into the room towards the fire place. Feeling disgust and anger begin to run through her veins. Tension setting into her jaw her nose crunkeling as her nostels flared, her lips held tight together. In the blink of an eye the man is own her only a feet or so away from her. One of his hands reaching to touch her cheek. Smiling pleased with himself at the pink that comes to her face from frustration. She turned her head allowing his hand to miss her face and fall between them.  
“Because between you and me I think that’d be so fucking hot.” She’s disjusted with the man infrot of her feeling her generally passive nature slipping from her grip as she turns back to face him. Raising her chin to look the man in the eyes she pulls back just the slightest before spitting in his face. Fighting her smile that threatens to come to her face when he stumbles back whipping at his face. “Fucking bitch.”  
At the door behind them both Damon stumbles in his hand clutching at the door frame to keep himself standing. His eyes rolling slightly back into his head as he took large gasping breaths. “Anna, are you- are you alright?”  
“God whats it take to keep you down?” The man asks sounding equal parts shocked and annoyed as he looked Damon over. With his back turned to her Anna raised her hand pushing hard at the air between them, sending the man flying through the air between them his body slamming into one of the far walls a loud snap reviberating through the air. But his slummed body didn't stay that way for long. Clearly she hadn't thrown him as hard as she had thought because suddenly he was back on his feet again and running for her.  
“Anna!” First it was Damons pained scream that drew her attention, then it was the wet substance sliding acrossed her forehead, then it was nothing. As everything slowly went black her body becoming increasingly hard to keep standing.

* * *

 

“Let me tell you how this is going to go, you’re going to torture me, I don’t talk, eventually that little girl over there is going to wake up.” Damon smirked raising a brow at Jules, clearly amused at the prospect of Anna finding him like this. What a field day she would have with the four or so wolves staring back at him. “Someone’s going to lose a heart, last time it was your boy Mason.”  
“This time it’ll be you.” Jules seethed, her eyes snapping away from the sleeping girl curled up on the couch. They had made sure to knock her out before she could kick up much a fight. One of the boys that had jumped Damon had ended up being throw into one of the walls pieces of glass still stuck into the skin of his upper arm thanks to the vase she had sent whirling after him that had shattered against his chest. “Don’t count on your little bitch saving you tonight.”  
The slight shuffle of clothing catches the pairs attention. Looking up from the girl passed out on the couch, there stands Elijah in his suit and tie, leaning against one of the pillars of the den. His eyes looking down softly at the girl a fondness in his face that makes Damon just the slightest bit uneasy. Elijah's arms are crossed tight over his chest, his body tense despite the relaxation in his face. He huffs a deep breath coming out from his nose until he stands himself up and takes the few steps down into the reading area.  
“Are you looking for this?” He asks pulling the moon stone from his pocket and placing it on top of the cigar box that sits on top of Damons well loved bar cart. “Go ahead, take it.” He gestures to the stone. Seeming disinterest in the wolves that fill the room looking back at him. He makes sure to take a step away to allow for enough space for someone to walk passed him. As one of the men rushes him, Elijah grabs him plucking out his heart. His eyes not even bothering to look the man over as he drops dead to the ground. The next two try again, thinking maybe Elijah had just gotten lucky with the first kill. With no luck the next two drop dead as well, one falling to the ground and the other slouching onto the couch at Anna’s feet, their hearts dropping with them. Finding that they really are no match for the vampire Jules stands speeding away from him and out of the house doing her best to go unnoticed. Managing to avoid his grasp as he moved towards the last man in the room. “What about you sweetheart? Hm? You wanna take a shot? No? Yes? No? Yes?”  
He’s aware he’s being unnecessarily cruel to the teenage boy. Yet he can’t bring himself to compose himself as he kicks his shoe against the side of the boys boot, gesturing for him get out of his pathetic crouching position with his coat tossed over his head. The boy stands his eyes stuck to the ground. He seems to be the only one in his group who actually know who Elijah is and logically afraid. It always amazed him how well informed kids these days were, more aware of themselves and the world they found themselves in. Hs eyes trailing over the dead bodies of his friends as they lay around the room his thin body shaking in fear  
. For a moment Elijah thinks he’ll leave the boy be. If just because he has the good sense to be afraid of him; and Elijah has always appreciated common sense in other people. Given that it was such a rare trait in this day and age.  
A small gasp draws his attention away from the boy. Annaliese's breathing was ragged for a moment before it goes back to normal, one of her legs stretching out and knocking into the knee of the dead man at her feet. She looks so soft and fragile compared to the blood and bodies surrounding her in almost takes Elijah’s breath away. Her chocolate brown hair is thrown around her and her short cotton sleep shorts are a baby pink. Her socks are gray knee highs with big yellow rubber ducks printed on them and it’s so cute a sight to behold Elijah can’t help but smile at her. How did she manage to look so gentle surrounded by so much death? Her body rolling over onto the couch one of her small hands coming to reach up to touch her face but it stops mid motion. Her nose wrinkling up in pain before she stops moving all together. A hard breath leaving her body. There's blood dripping down from her hairline making a path across her forehead and onto the leather of the couch with a small dripping sound.  
“Which one of them?” Elijah suddenly asks, his eyes moving to look at Damon, who only stares back. Unsure what exactly the question is “Which one of them did that to her.” He clearifies pointing towards Anna.  
“The kid jumped her when she was trying to save me.” Damon explains feeling slightly indifferent. This was such a small bit of damage Damon hadn’t even thought to be angry at the wolves for hurting her. Anna was a big girl she had always done just fine taking care of herself, and from time to time taking care of Damon as well.  
Suddenly Elijah throws his elbow against the side of the kids face. A loud crack filling the room before the kid drops limp to the ground. Damon is sure he can see a piece of the boys spine sticking out of his neck as he lays dead at his feet. It’s brutal and Damon feels like a hypocrite for thinking it. That he of all people thinks that maybe the boys death was a bit much. Even if he was the one responsible for the large collar around his neck.  
“Where’s the girl?”  
“I don’t know.”  
“Well I guess it doesn’t really matter.” Elijah decides, pulling the metal wraps from around Damons wrist, before reaching over and pulling the irons away from his waist that kept him planted on to the chair. “You realize this is the third time I’ve saved your life now?”  
Not bothering to stand around and listen to Damon's response Elijah turned away from him. Crocheting down by the side of the couch letting his fingers gently run across Anna's features. Her jaw seems to loosen slightly at the gesture, her pink full lips parting, letting a soft breath fall between them. He stands unbuttoning his jacket, tossing it across the back of the of the couch before leaning down and picking her up. Her head falling against his should the blood seeping into the soft material of his button down shirt. He seems bothered as he looks down at her his face soft again even surrounded by bodies as he cradled her in his arms.  
Damon reaches out grabbing one of Elijah's arms, his brows furrowed, confusion written all over his face. “What are you doing?”  
“Bringing her to her room, unless of course you wish for her to continue to sleep among corpses?”  
“I-” He wants to tell him no that he should just put her down and that he’ll deal with her. That she is his best friend and how dare this man try to care for her in his place. But for some reason Anna looks like she belongs in Elijah's arms in the moment held bridal style in his arm like she weighs nothing. “Her door is the second one on the left when you get to the top of the stairs.”  
Elijah nodded turning away from Damon and moving towards the stairs.


	6. Chapter 6

The night air was cold, cradle her body too closely as she walked along the treeline. She felt foolish for forgetting a coat in such weather, Mystic Falls always seemed to stay as chilly as possibly for as long as possible. Yet she had thought nothing of it as she stumbled out of bed in nothing but an oversized sleep shirt. Feeling suddenly overwhelmed surrounded by so many things that were now so forgien to her. The Salvatore house was beautiful but the environment was too unfamiliar now for her to really sleep. It has been too long since she’s slept in a real home she thinks, as her toes brush through the dew that’s settled over the grass. The air is cold, burning her lungs at every breath in. But she sees it as a comfort, it grounds her in a way.   
Lost in her own world trying to take in every detail of the woods around her, she almost misses the sound a snapping branch somewhere in the distance. Caught in the thought it might be rabbit or deer she heard Stefan talk about earlier in the night she lets herself be pulled towards the sound. Unbothered by the feeling of the pine needles and twigs that crunch under her feet as she moves. Pushing tree branches out of her way as she searches hoping to maybe catch a glimpse of the creature before they go running off. Big cities never allowed for the real beauties of nature. There's another snap of a branch but this time somewhere behind her. The sound is too distinct she thinks, too loud for an animal.   
“Fuck.” She whispers to herself swinging her head from side to side, hoping to see whoever it is somewhere in her peripheral vision, unable to will herself to turn around and face whatever is standing stock still behind her. There breath brushed against the skin of her neck and shoulder making her muscles tense. She hopes for a second that’s just Damon trying to scare her for running off without telling anyone where she’s going. But there's something about the feeling of the hands ghosting up the sides of her body that make her think otherwise.  
“Such a pretty little witch.” The man groans voice disturbingly deep as the hands clamp down hard on her hips bruising the skin there and focusing her body to turn towards him, making her trip over her own bare feet as she’s moved. His body is towering over her and his eyes are pitch black obstructed by the black hood thrown up over his head. He’s only a teenage she’s sure, of the parts of his face she can see little time has touched. The skin is smooth and young, she feels bad for a moment. Teenage vampires always did make her just a little bit sad.   
Before she can ever consider a spell that might force the man way from her, she body is launched into the air the force of the air pulling her hair around her face. Distorting her view of the man as she flies through the air arms and legs gutting out around her. Thrown feet away, as if she is nothing more than a rag doll, her body only stops when she comes in contact with a tree. The original impact pushing all the air from her body cause her to gag and caught her body begging to breath again. Slowly her body falls to the forest floor only being held up by the tree behind her.   
“It’s a shame you have to die.”   
The bark digs into her skin she’s sure theres a branch sticking out of her thigh based on the burning pain in her right leg but she can’t move. Her legs and arms are limp and spread out around her. She wants to stand up and fight, she’s sure he’s just an overly confident vampire, that it really wouldn’t take much to kill him. But she can’t get herself to even twitch a finger in defence of herself. Her limbs are nearly completely numb now and her head is throbbing. At the sound of shoes brushing through the woods around her drawing closer she focuses her head to move, rolling on her shoulders to face the man that had thrown her. As he moves closer his body swaying this way and that way in her vision unable to focus him. She’s unsure if she’s simply seeing things or if from around him two more men arrive.  
The only thing she’s certain of is that something wet is running down her hair line down past her cheek and every face in front of her has their fangs drawn. Veins under their eyes dark and protruding. She wants to scream, she can’t be that far from the house, there's no way at least one of the brothers wouldn’t hear her, but the volume is stuck in her throat. What she meant to be a scream comes out as more of a gurgle letting something wet and warm pass through her lips as she opens her mouth.   
Suddenly one of the men drops, his body falling limp to the forest floor but his shape is only replaced with another. This one dressed differently she's sure, his outline looks different, but everything's slowly fading to black and she can’t be too sure. The two other men are no longer looking at her now rather they’re eyes are focused on this new man.   
Never did she think someone would crash her murder. She wants to laugh at the ridiculousness of it all, even though the joke is bad it makes her smile.   
“Who are you?” The man, the one that through her, demands. Breaking the silence that has surrounded them. Well almost silence, she can’t escape the distinct sound of dripping coming from somewhere around her.   
“I’m Elijah,” She knows that voice, and that name but she can’t place it. To focused on trying to keep her eyes open, she at least wants to witness it if she’s going to die. “Maybe you’ve heard of me.”  
“Fuck man.” The third man gasps pulling away from the pair. There's fear in his voice she thinks. Should she be afraid? Was this new man going to kill her instead? “You didn’t say nothin’ ‘bout competition-.” As quickly as he’s there he’s gone speeding through the trees as he vanishes from her sight.   
“Your friend is smart.” Elijah states stepping over the body at his feet moving himself closer to the other man. Elijah's a hair shorter but the board shoulders and confident stance of his body makes him seem like a giant as he squares up against the stranger. “I suggest you follow his lead.”  
“This is my kill man, back the fuck up!” The man demands trying to push himself closer to Elijah playing a game of chicken is seems Elijah isn’t interested in playing. Because instead of stepping back he only seems to grin back at him.  
“The issue is that I really can’t have you killing her.” Elijah explains, carefully unbuttoning the sleeve buttons of his button down shirt before beginning to roll up the sleeves careful. Starting with the right and then the left his attention intent on his actions rather than the man in front of him. Not seeming the least bit bothered as the man watches him. As if he is not in the middle of an argument that seems to be leading to a fight.   
“She’s just some witch bitch, what's the issue?”   
“And that is where you’re very wrong.” Elijah laughs pointing at the man wagging his finger as if he’s disciplining a child. Suddenly Elijah's hand goes plugging into the mans chest and she can’t help but gasp at the gesture. It’s too quick and the sound makes her stomach turn, or maybe she’s just swallowing too much blood. Pulling his hand back there is something in his grasp that she can’t make out but both the object in his hand and the body of the man go topuling to the ground at nearly the same time.   
The man, Elijah, is moving closer to her now, his steps gentle almost going unnoticed to her ears. She wants to ask him to leave her be to just let this be the end of it. Shes’ almost dead, she’s sure of it. Unable to make out her own heartbeat in the silence any more.  
“Foolish girl.”Elijah musses, “Hasn’t anyone taught you not to walk around at night by yourself?”   
This man crouches in front of her resting his elbows on his knees and his face moves in close to her looking her over for a moment. She can’t help be transfixed by the way his eyes, slowly begin to change, turning from s deep chocolate brown to bitch black and deep purple and black veins begin to crawl across his face. This time she can’t manage to be afraid instead she’s too focused on how pretty his features are, even distorted in such a way. He brings one of his hands to wrap around the back of her neck, pulling her body away from the tree and she groans letting more blood pour from her mouth and into her lap. She can’t help the gasps of pain and the tears that fall from her eyes as she’s moved. She tries desperately to pull away from her but she can’t really focus much acting from her body. Instead she only cries shaking gasp and wimps coming from her mouth as tears track down her face. Her back now pressed into something much softer and Elijah's arms around her body, she feels safe, warm in his embrace. But still she continues to cry, the fear she hadn’t known she’d been feeling coming suddenly to the surface.   
“You poor thing.” He whispers, his breath running across the skin of her cheek. Gentle he places his wrist at her mouth, pushing it passed her lips and teeth. Filling her mouth with a something sweet similar to the strawberry syrup she likes to drink from the bottle meant to make strawberry milk. But it’s filling her mouth too quickly, she begins to choke on it as it fills her mouth. She wants to push him away to force it out of her mouth but all she can really do is sway her head from side to side. Which does nothing under his strong hold on her body. “Shush pet, just drink. It’ll make it better I promise.”   
And she trusts him, letting the liquid slide down her throat. In seconds she can she begins to feel her legs and arms again. The searing pain captures her body and she can’t help but scream, choking on the liquid that still pours down her throat.   
“Stop fighting me pet, it’s only making the pain worse.” He mumbles against the skin of her shoulder. His free hand coming up to run through her hair, his pain skin keeping his attention as it weaves through her long wavy deep brown hair. The contrast has him captivating in a way, he hadn’t expected. He holds her tight as her body slowly stop trying to thrash against him. Instead she begins to lean her weight against him letting her head fall against his shoulder. “That’s it, just relax. I’ve got you.”


	7. Chapter 7

“You know I trusted those fools, thought perhaps since they both seem so taken with you they might be able to keep you alive.” Elijah's words are tight frustration written in the tension in his shorters and aggression in his voice. “It’s clear I was wrong about that.”   
Anna pushed back the creamy white warmth of her comfort her her back aching as she moved. Reaching down to peel the sweat covered sleep shirt she wore panic began to settle in her stomach. Red painted the front of her white shirt as well as pieces of her skin. His eyes move towards her at the sound of her heart beating, slamming into her chest as she stared down at her body.   
“Elijah what- what happened?” Reaching up her blue eyes widened at him as she felt the blood the sat under her chin. She felt human she thought, felt the Earth brushing under her body. Surely she was still what she was when she had gone to bed. So why did it seem like she should be dead?   
“You went out walking, a pack of new turns scented you out and attached.” Anna couldn’t help but gasp at his words. Pushing herself out of her bed she stumbled to the mirror beside her dresser. Captivated not only by the bright red that was slowly drying into brown, but also by the deep purple and blue bruises that lined every inch of what had been white skin. Her hair was matted to her head in places. Held down by blood and mug. What had once been flowing still damp curls that fell to the middle of her back was now knotted in places. Looking more like a literal rats nest than her own hair. Blood seemed to move in thin lines from her hairline disappearing behind her ears, like she had been leaning back while she bled.  
“Gods.” she breathed reaching down to skim her fingers against a particularly bad bruise at the edge of her t shirt at the middle of her thigh. It looked nearly black in the center before mapping out in swirls of purples and blues like a galaxy painted of her skin. Unable to control the flinch that racked her body when her touch was too forceful, she pulled her hand away pulling it around her body. As if she was trying to hold herself.  
“My blood will take care of that in time.” Anna's eyes shot up in the mirror caught by Elijah's as he stood stoic still behind her. He was nearly a whole head taller than her, but as he looked down in the glass back at her she felt even smaller in comparison to him. His chest nearly pressed into her back, he could feel the heat radiating off her body.   
“Your blood? You gave me your blood?” Anna seems to think it over for a moment, her eyes still intent on looking back at him. After a moment he can see wetness pooling in them, her lower lip sticking out just the slightest. “You- you saved me! Gods I was going to die.”   
Annas breathing grew labored as she thought on it. Memories flashing behind her eyes in a haze. She remembered the pain in her body when she was thrown, the feeling of relief when the first man died, how she had been so unsure of who Elijah even when he had offered her his wrist. Tears spilled from her eyes in a silent cry, her eyes still looking back at him as he looked at her. Seeming unbothered by the show of emotion. She was in shock likely feeling residual fear. He could not blame her for that.  
He could not help himself as he moved closer to her. The buttons of his shirt poking at the skin of her back. One of his large hands grabbing at her upper arms grounding her as she cried. “You’re alright Anna, you’ll be as good as knew in the morning. Please don’t think on it too much.”   
She lifted her hands still caked in dirt as she whipped away the tears that still flowed despite the embarrassment that creeped into her face. Painting her cheeks in a soft pink. “Thank you.”   
“No harm will come to you Annalise, not while I’m here.”   
“Where-where are Damon and Stefan, they must be worried.” She asked trying to push away the warm feeling that his words caused in her. She wasn’t special to him, she was the oracle someone his brother desired alive, and she was one of Elena's friends of course he would keep her safe. He had promised Elena he would do as much. The grip on her arms tightened just the slightest, before he let go of her completely turning away from her.   
“They’re not here. Haven’t been in some time it seems. Likely they’re off some where fighting over Elena.” His words are harsh angry in away that confuses her. She knew he was not the biggest fans of the younger vampires that had been no secret. They annoyed him. But never had he been so direct in his displeasure.  
“Elijah?” She questioned moving towards him grabbing at the back his shirt. The soft material bunching up in her fist. “What’s wrong?”   
“They’re meant to be keeping you safe!” His words boom through her room, startling her enough to make her drop her hold on his shirt. She hadn’t thought it in Elijah's nature to raise his voice, that he wasn’t one for displays of such a sort. But he’s spinning on the heels of his black oxford dress shoes and the look on his face is pure rage. Eyes dark and trained on her. “And leaving you in this house alone when anyone and anything can walk through that door is not doing that!”   
“I can take care of myself.” Her voice is uncertain though she is not sure she believes it, never in her years had she actually been alone. Never was she left to her own devices before. Her magic had always done its part in keepign her safe when need be.   
“Clearly you can not!” His hands grip at her upper arms again. But this time is was not meant as the comfort it had been earlier. Rather his nails dug into her skin and nearly lifted her from her feet entirely as he moved her closer to look him in the eyes. “Don’t you understand? Your body is weak Anna. It would take so little to kill you.”   
“Elijah- you’re hurting me.” She breathed avoiding his eyes as he looked down at her. Feeling suddenly the difference in their power. A basic instinct in her wanted to push him away, to use her magic, to fight. But she couldn’t bring herself to. There was something about the Original in front of her that placate her magic. Her magic didn’t desire to touch him, to hurt him. Her magic trusted him, and this fact scared her.   
Gently he placed her down to her feet again his touch softening and then moving from her completely. What had once been anger was no sadness. She wanted to reach out and tell him it was alright, that she understood, that he was worried for her. And it was true. As she looked at him she understood the way he looked at her now. Flicking between her face and the floor as he stepped away from her. It was worry that radiated off his body.   
“I’m sorry that was-” He breathed out hard, a hand running down the front of his button down shirt. “Uncalled for.” He moves farther from her still until she sees its the door he’s aiming for. “I’ll take my leave.”   
Her hand reaches out for him. Looking a bit like a child's hand wrapped around his wrist as she moves to stop him. His eyes fly to hers,brows knitted together in confusion. But still he stops allowing her to pull him deep into the room again. Until again they are close nearly chest to chest.   
“I forgive you.” Anna's eyes were locked to his shoes and her bare feet feeling foolish as he watched her. “I can’t imagine it is easy to be in a situation like that. With someone you know dying in your arms. So I forgive you for yelling at me. I would have done the same.”   
His hand reached for her, placing two fingers under her chin. Slowly her eyes come to his. There's a softness there that quickens her heart beat and she’s sure he knows. As a small smile pulls at his lips. “You are - I fear I will never understand you.”   
A large smile comes across her face at his words. A small giggle bubbling in her chest. “I have always desired to sound so interesting.”   
“I find that you are.” There's a silence that falls between them then. As they smile between themselves Anna's hand still holding tight at his wrist.   
“Will you stay? At least until Damon or Stefan get back? I find that I don’t really want to be alone right now.”   
“Whatever you wish.” She laughs out right then feeling a bit like a child having a sleepover. She pulls him deeper into her room onlyl stopping at the edge of her bed.   
“Are you alright alone for a few moments? I think it’s best I shower before anyone else has to see me like this.” She explains as she moves around the room. Pulling a towel off the open door of her closet and finding a new night dress to sleep in. Finding that if a boy was going to be in her room she might as well try and impress even if was platonic and he was only doing what he could to settle her mind.   
“I’m not sure what will ever keep me entertained in that time.” His voice is almost playful and it startles her. Turning away from her dresser she can’t help but be just a bit amused to see that Elijah has already made himself comfortable. Sitting against the headboard with his legs spread out across her comforter a book held in his hand. Settling on her favorite blue nightgown she all but skipped into her bathroom feeling oddly happy for someone who almost died.


End file.
